Cocoa with a dash of red
by jin0uga
Summary: Five-shot. "So…a stranger picked out some clothes for you. And you just…took them?" Ruby and Velvet stared at one another unblinkingly. It may be coincidence, it may be fate. Choose which one you want to believe. The story of how Yang dragging Ruby out to buy some new clothes resulted in Ruby getting a new girlfriend. Complete!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters.

**AN**: I actually typed this out a long time ago (aka during my exams) but never got around to posting it. As I've said before, I enjoy pairing Ruby up with different characters and Coco really caught my eye after the last few episodes of season 2. I'm still working on my other two ongoing stories so apologies for not updating for some time! Between working part time, watching anime and trying to fuel my muse, I cannot for the life of me, get up my ass and write! Hopefully this one shot will tide some people over. And I may or may not update this as I have a second chapter planned. This story won't be a really long one. Enjoy!

* * *

"Yangggg!"

"Stop whining, Ruby."

"But but–"

"No buts or asses or whatever." The blonde huffed and folded her arms. "You _promised_ me that you would buy some clothes this weekend." She finished, glaring at her little sister. Honestly, as much as she loved Ruby, her sister had absolutely zero taste in clothes or fashion. You would think that sharing the same blood with someone as fabulous as she would at _least_ make the girl wear better clothes or something.

"But I bought them already!" Ruby whined and pointed at her paper bag. If one had looked closely, they would have discovered that the most of the 'clothes' consisted of loose shirts with small caricatures of Grimm and baggy pants which no sane person would want to be caught dead in.

Yang snorted inelegantly. "Those _things_ are not clothes." She said and glared at the bag with the intensity of a thousand suns.

"They were cute!" Ruby argued, clutching the bag to her chest.

"No they were not!" She shot back. Ruby began to pout.

"Yangggg! You promised to let me buy my own stuff this time!"

The blonde massaged her temples. "I _knew_ that mistake come back to haunt me."

Seeing that Ruby was adamant at even setting foot inside the store, Yang knew she had to do something before she whipped out her devastating puppy eyed look. Weiss was going burn her alive if the cookie fiend started wearing those _things_ during their missions. The blonde couldn't even refer to them as clothes. '_I don't even care if she wears a damn trash bag._' Yang thought to herself. '_As long as she doesn't wear that._' The future masses would thank her for this. She just knew.

"Y'know what lil' sis?" Yang started. "Let's make a deal."

Ruby perked up at that. Her silver eyes shimmered curiously. "What deal?"

"If you buy at least one _normal_ outfit." The girl stressed the word 'normal'. "I will convince Weiss to let you have cookie night, twice a week."

Ruby bounced on her heels. She loved cookie night. Too bad the heiress always hid most of her cookies to prevent her from having her mini celebrations nightly.

She nodded. "That sounds reasonable enough."

Yang's eyes glinted with triumph. "Agreed?"

"Agreed." They shook their hands, an air of seriousness surrounding them.

"Oh." The blonde shot her sister a cheeky smile. "Did I forget to mention that you've got to show me the outfits first?" The blonde cackled evilly and rushed into the store, leaving behind a stunned Ruby.

She stared. It didn't register in her mind. And then–

"_Yanggg_!"

* * *

The long racks of clothes proved devastating to Ruby's psyche. They were just too many clothes to choose from. She knew she liked red and black, but there were **five **sections dedicated to just those two colors. It was expected of the best clothing shop in Vale, but for a fashion amateur like Ruby it was absolute hell. A fashionable hell.

She felt her eyes hurt just from looking at some of the bright colors…and _why_ in the world were there so many types of red?! Half the clothes she had found in that section had names for the colors she couldn't even pronounce. Ruby was mind boggled. Not to mention that her dear older sister had rejected the clothes she _did_ pick out.

"Nope. No way in hell."

"And why not?" Ruby whined as her sister pushed the tie dyed shirt and pants back into her hands.

Yang grimaced. "Because dear sister," She said with a sigh, "I don't want to die alone in a frozen ice block. Now get going and try to find another outfit. It's getting late."

Ruby smiled. Maybe if she waited long enough…

"And don't try to wait it out either. Or I'll tell Weiss to ban the cookie night _completely_."

She wilted. Her sister was truly the devil.

* * *

"Ten more minutes!" Yang yelled. "And you can kiss your baked pastries goodbye." She was currently lounging on one of the soft couches they placed in the store and was flipping through the pages of a magazine. Ruby jumped at this declaration and quickly focused on her task at hand. Yang let her attention float back to the magazine and left her little sister to her doom.

Her hands shook as she eyed the last section of the store. Only three racks left and still zilch. Forehead matted with beads of perspiration Ruby combed through the first rack.

'_Ohhh that looks nice. Argh no way Yang would allow this.' _She zoomed in on a multi-colored one with small little drawings of donuts on it. '_This should be okay–"_

"Remember, nothing with food on it Ruby!"

"Dust." She swore under her breath. This was trickier than the time she accidentally confessed to reading Blake's Ninja's of love series. This could result in something much worse than death. A life without the taste of her beloved cookies. The sweet smell of chocolate sprinkled over the cookie. The melt in the mouth goodness. The trail of crumbs which she could lick off the plate. The rough and crumbly surface…

As Ruby's mind wandered off into cookie land, she didn't hear the sound of heels closing in on her. Before she had realized it, the stranger was right behind her. Their arm was pressing against hers and it was holding something in front of her face. Startled by the sudden appearance, she squeaked in surprise and tried to move back only to back into the stranger's chest. The soft mounds of flesh clued her in to their gender.

"H-Huh wha..?"

Said stranger grinned. Not that the girl could see of course. Ruby froze, not wanting to accidentally touch something she was obviously _not_ supposed to. From where she stood, she could see the stranger's long but feminine arm covered by a long, brown sleeve. Their bodies were so close in fact, that Ruby could feel something pressing into her hips. It felt familiar somehow…wait, were they bullets? She wondered.

"Here." The stranger spoke. Her voice was confident, not wavering at all despite her close proximity to another stranger. There words were not spoken in any attempt of seduction. It was short, smooth and straight to the point. The piece of clothing dangled in front of Ruby's face. She sort of just stared at it, not knowing what to do. The girl pressing against her seemed to sense her internal struggle and spoke again.

"I've been in this store for long enough to see you struggle. And it's been driving me crazy."

"O-Okay…?"

"That blonde at the entrance. Who's she?"

"Ah- that's my sister, Yang." Ruby's voice quivered slightly. Actually, why was she even talking her?

"I see. And your name is?"

"Y-Yang said never to give my name to strangers?"

It sounded more like a question than a statement. The person behind her smiled in amusement.

"Fair enough. One can never be too careful." She answered. "Then, you won't need to know mine."

The piece of clothing was pushed closer to Ruby's face. Reflexively, her hand shot up to grab it and the stranger chuckled. "I hope you like it. It suits you."

With that said the pressure on her back vanished and the click of heels went farther and father until they disappeared. Ruby was left standing in front of the many racks. With a feeling of disbelief Ruby eyed the clothes in her hands. One of the items was a silver short sleeved shirt with red trim resembling vines which clung to the walls on some of the older houses in Vale.

The second item was a skirt. It was a mix of silver and black with a small rose stitched into the fabric right below the hem. The clothes were simple and not too flashy, just the way Ruby liked them. She had to admit that whoever that was, they had good taste.

Well, much better than hers anyway. But whose wasn't?

"_Finally_ Rubes, I've been looking for you." Yang sighed in relief when she turned down another corner and finally spotted her sister lurking in the furthermost section of the store.

"So, didja find anything?" She asked, and paused when Ruby silently held up the clothes for her to inspect. Taking it gingerly, as if expecting some sort of weird voodoo stuff on them, she was pleasantly surprised to see that they were fairly normal. Nice, even. She whistled.

"Not bad." Yang grinned. "It looks some of my awesomeness rubbed off you after all."

Ruby rolled her eyes but said nothing.

Her mind was still bursting with questions. She knew that whoever it had been was fairly young and female. She sighed. Great, that narrowed the suspects down to about half of the people in Vale. She could sense that she was getting fairly close now. Whoopee.

"Come on; let's get home before it gets too late." Yang said and dragged her to the cashier to pay for their purchases. On the way back to Beacon, Ruby resigned herself to never finding out who that mystery girl was. _Maybe_ it had just been the good will of some stranger who helped a fashion disaster like herself.

What was the likelihood of meeting that person again anyway?

* * *

"Wow, you look great Ruby. Went shopping?"

Velvet complimented with a smile. Ruby blushed and scratched the back of her head nervously while nodding. "Hehe thanks." The younger girl replied with an awkward smile, causing the rabbit Faunus to giggle. She was really just too cute sometimes. The two girls were currently standing outside of the library, having crossed paths when the older girl helped her pick up a heavy book she had dropped.

"Did Yang choose it for you?" Velvet asked curiously. Though the outfit was nice, but it was a far cry from the girl's usual black and red combat top and skirt. The last time Ruby had chosen her outfit, it had been dubbed the month of darkness. She shivered at the memory. A shirt like that should _never_ exist in this world.

"Nope. Actually…" Ruby suddenly looked sheepish. "I had a little help from someone else."

"Oh? Who?"

"I actually don't really know?" Came the meek and somewhat embarrassed reply.

Velvet felt her eyes grow wide. She gaped at the smaller girl.

"So…a stranger picked out some clothes for you. And you just…took them?"

"Pretty much."

Ruby and Velvet stared at one another unblinkingly. Actually, the second year student was doing the staring. The other just shifted from one foot to another, concentrating steadfastly on scuffing the floor with her shoes.

"Does Yang know?" Velvet asked, sounding amused.

Ruby shivered in fear and for good reason. "I-I hope not."

"Did you see their face? Was it a student from Beacon?"

"She was behind me so I didn't see her face. Sounded pretty young, though." Ruby tried to reenact what happened that day, turning away from her friend and facing the wall. "I was just staring at this rack," She said and gestured to the empty space in front of her. Velvet had to hold down a giggle.

"And then?" The rabbit Faunus asked. The two students were so enraptured in their makeshift play that they didn't see someone approaching them. The click of heels did nothing to break Ruby's concentration, while Velvet looked up at the familiar sounds. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"Then, I felt someone behind me. I sort of panicked and backed into them, like this–" The girl moved back while still facing the wall not expecting to back into something, or rather, _someone_. It felt eerily similar to what happened in the store that day, causing Ruby to pause and not jump away immediately.

"Hey Velvet, who's your friend?" Coco asked with a smirk on her face. Her eyes twinkled mischievously, though none could see them due to the shades the girl was currently wearing. Velvet, who was preoccupied at staring at her team mate stand really, _really_ close to her young friend, jumped slightly when she was addressed.

"C-Coco!" She said with visible surprise. "Oh, this is Ruby Rose from team RWBY. Ruby, this is my friend and team leader, Coco."

The fashionable student tilted her head as she eyed the younger girl with amusement and curiosity, the smirk never leaving her face.

"So…you're Ruby? Cute name for a girl like you." She purred.

Said girl squeaked and blushed when she felt a warm breath on the shell of her ear. She stumbled away and promptly backed into the wall. Velvet couldn't help but compare Ruby to a small and terrified animal while her team leader could be compared to a predator observing its prey just before attacking. She glanced at Coco, who was still smirking and looking more pleased at each passing second; and had to stifle a grin.

Her leader had never been a patient person.

"Y-You're that-t girl from the…" Ruby trailed off, turning into a darker shade of red when Coco flashed her flirty smile complete with a one arm on hip pose. "I am. Nice to meet you." She said and let her eyes drift down to take in the complete outfit which she had specifically chosen. "It looks good on you, Ruby."

"T-Thanks…" She mumbled in reply. "For y-your help that day, C-Coco."

"Anything, for a cute girl like yourself."

Velvet had to bite down on her lip to keep from laughing. She had never seen her leader flirt before but according to Yatsuhashi, it was deemed as one of Coco's most powerful weapons. Outside of dressing fashionably, of course.

"Ah look at the time." Coco suddenly said. "Hey Velvet, Fox is still waiting for that braille book."

The rabbit Faunus let out a squeak. She was so swept up by the conversation with Ruby that she had forgotten about it. Ruby wanted to sink into the ground and disappear. There was no way she could survive talking to her unexpected savior with stuttering up a storm. Thankfully, Velvet at least had the good sense to drag Coco along with her. She had an uncanny ability to sense when people felt uncomfortable.

She waved goodbye to the younger girl, tugging on her leader's arm as she pulled her away from the library's entrance. Just as they left however, Ruby felt someone pat her butt, and spun around to see Coco playfully waving goodbye as the two second year students went further down the hallway. "We should go shopping together one day, Ruby!" Coco called out, enjoying the way Ruby blushed, the redness creeping down her neck.

"Y-Yeah."

They disappeared around the bend, the leader of team RWBY completely disappearing from their sights. Velvet took the moment to address her leader with a sigh and a small grin.

"Stop teasing the poor girl." She scolded. "She'll get the wrong idea you know."

"Who's says that I'm just teasing?" Coco responded, pulling down her shades to meet her team mate's gaze.

"Well, you better not do anything funny Coco." Velvet told her as they approached their dorm room. "Her older sister is _really_ protective of her. So if you're serious about this, you better do it right." She said firmly causing the cocoa coloured girl to chuckle.

"You're really protective of her, huh?"

The rabbit Faunus nodded. "When Cardin harassed me, none of the students dared to approach me in fear of getting attacked as well. Team RWBY was the one of the few who did. They didn't have to but they did, anyway."

Coco smiled reassuringly at her.

"Hey now, don't worry. I already know what to do."

"Alright. If you say so. Hey wait – where did I put that book?!"


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer**: I do not own RWBY or any of its characters.

**AN**: Hey everyone, sorry for the late update! Life hit me with a hammeraxe and I wanted to update this on sat but I got sick and was too woozy to write. This took an entirely different direction than I previously planned so I'll be making it into a four shot instead of a two. I'm so sorry for being trash ;3

* * *

The day was young. Vale bursting with energy, citizens either heading to their place of work or just strolling around and enjoying the day. The students of Beacon melted into the crowd, having got off the airship. The team leader of RWBY fidgeted nervously as she walked down the street, eyes occasionally straying to the older girl beside her. Dressed in a modest long sleeved shirt and skirt, Ruby felt decided exposed and had to stop herself from wrapping her red cloak around herself, an obvious nervous tic.

After passing several shops and not looking at her date at all, Ruby felt a hand on her shoulder. She jumped at the sudden contact and looked up in astonishment. Coco regarded the younger girl with a gentle sort of smile, the ones she reserved for only a select few. "Are you nervous?" She asked, tilting her head the side.

"S-Sort of." Ruby replied with embarrassment, not seeing any point in lying. "I've never been on one before. A d-date I mean." She stuttered.

"Well…don't be." The fashionable student let her shades slide down to reveal a pair of serious brown eyes. "I won't bite." Slowly, she reached for Ruby's hand. Giving the girl ample time to back away, her face broke into a pleased smile when they locked hands; a light blush dusting Ruby's cheeks. Fingers intertwined, they walked at a sedate pace towards their destination of Coco's choice.

Turning down a less crowded path, the two soon came to a halt in front of a neat little rustic shop house. The scent of food and warm coffee wafted through the air, delectable and enticing. Coco smirked when Ruby made a little noise of excitement. Shyness forgotten, the cloaked girl squeezed her date's fingers gently as she pulled them into the shop.

* * *

"Going out with Coco again?" Weiss huffed. Ruby laughed weakly and crossed her arms behind her head. "Hehe, yep." She replied cheerfully and withered under her partner's unamused gaze. Ruby cursed herself for not using her semblance to escape; now she was stuck in the line of fire. Weiss could be very cranky whenever she didn't get her coffee; and her beloved sister thought that drinking the very last can was a good idea.

'_Damn you Yang_', Ruby cursed under her breath. '_Wait till' Blake hears that you were the one who spilt milk on her book.'_

Weiss sighed and rubbed her temples. "You better make sure that you've finished _all_ of our assignments. I don't want you to wake me up at three am, asking me if Grimm have toes."

"It was just one time!" Ruby pouted. "And it's not my fault that the textbook wasn't clear enough. Besides, I needed it for my essay."

"You turned in an essay on Grimm's toes?" Weiss deadpanned. Ruby opened her mouth to reply, but the heiress quickly waved her hand in a panicked fashion. "Actually, I don't even want to know." The girl responded, her lips thinning when she felt a headache coming on. It was too early for this rubbish, and where the hell was her goddamn coffee?!

"You wound me, Weiss." Ruby pretended to wipe away a tear, causing the other go to roll her eyes. "And for your information, I've already done it all!" She said with a gigantic grin. With a dramatic hand sweeping motion, the girl revealed the pile of neatly stacked papers on her desk and smugly invited Weiss to go through it.

"Hmph, really?" An elegant eyebrow rose in challenge. "I'll believe it when I see it."

"Suit yourself." Ruby bounced energetically. "But be prepared to eat your words~"

Not believing it to be true, the heiress tentatively picked up some and rifled through it. Ruby watched various emotions flit through her partner's usually cool, blue eyes. Her smirk only grew wider when Weiss' jaw seemed to unhinge itself, her eyes flitting across lines upon lines of words.

"It– you already– wha?" She croaked in disbelief. Even _she_ hadn't completely finished her assignments! And that wasn't to say that Ruby wrote rubbish either. From the paragraphs she read, it was apparent that a lot of thought and research had been put into the essay.

The cloaked girl did a mental high five when she saw the heiress let out a breathless gasp. It was difficult to impress a Schnee, but when one did, boy did it feel _good_.

"Catch ya later, Weisssss!"

Ruby waved before disappearing in a whirlwind of rose petals, the door slamming shut when the girl used her semblance to speed away. The heiress was left gaping at the papers splayed across the small desk, in a state of utter shock. Just then, a small brown card fell out from between several papers. Stiffly, Weiss bent down to pick it up and glanced over the cursive handwriting.

_Have I gotten your approval yet, Miss Schnee? ;)_

_-Coco _

It would be correct to say that Weiss, the so-called resident ice queen, was rightly trolled by the team leader of CFVY.

When the remaining members of team RWBY returned some time later, they would be treated to the sight of their uptight team member standing near the window, forehead resting on the wall, and holding a glass of ice cold water in her hands.

When asked if she was alright, Weiss would just look up with a blank look and promptly return to unraveling life's greatest mysteries by staring at the beige dorm room wall. It was also the only day, which Yang dared to hang a sign which read 'Pillow Princess' on her back, causing Blake (secretly) to pray for her partner's safety.

* * *

"Sooooo" Ruby said, dragging her words out playfully as she walked beside her date. "Where are we going?" Coco shot her a sly smile, the faint lights in the limousine reflecting off her shades. She shook her head slightly in amusement at the younger girl's impatience. While some may have felt that Ruby's cheerful personality could be annoying in large doses, Coco couldn't get enough of it. It was positively _energizing_ to be around someone who made you feel happy.

"Somewhere nice." Coco answered mysteriously. "I've wanted to take you there for some time now. But an opportunity didn't present itself up till now."

Ruby pouted. "C'mon, now I'm even more curious than before."

"You'll see what I mean."

The limousine came to a stop as it pulled into the entrance of a tall, fancy looking building. A sharply dressed man swooped in and politely opened the door for Coco. "Your seats are ready." He bowed forward slightly, holding the door as the two students stepped out of the limousine. Ruby felt extremely out of place in the grand environment, her usual outfit and red cloak sticking out like a sore thumb amidst the low key colours of black, brown and grey.

Silver eyes darted to Coco.

The older student looked stunning, despite the fact that she was wearing her usual brown fitted blouse complete with slim leather pants and combat heels. People seemed to take a step back when Coco walked by, awe and jealously visible on their faces as she strutted past. Ruby felt her chest tighten when one of the smartly dressed men littering the lobby leered at her. Feeling her lips curl into the barest hint of a snarl, she strode forward quickly to catch up with her date, shooting a fierce glare at him.

Not accustomed to someone of such (short) stature shooting menacing looks at him, the man swiftly pulled his eyes away from the voluptuous woman and sped away stiffly. Sniffling in part anger and part accomplishment, Ruby jumped and looked up in surprise when she felt soft skin and cold leather touch her palm. Coco flashed her a smile as she slid her hand into Ruby's. Smirking at the beginnings of a blush, she continued walking while gently tugging Ruby along, heels meeting the ground noiselessly as they entered the lift. Pressing a button, both girls descended to the upper floors where they were escorted into a large crowded hall.

Looking over the sea of strangers scrambling to get to their seats, Ruby felt her blood chill at the prospect of waddling through the many unfamiliar faces to find a spot for them but thankfully, she was led up to one of the many private 'seats' overlooking the extremely long stage.

"What…?" The girl asked curiously, peering over the ledge. "What is this?" Coco was about to reply when the lights flickered and dimmed, drowning the hall in darkness. Ruby gasped, reflexively gripping the other girl's arm in shock. Calming down slightly when a soft hand was placed over hers, her attention was drawn away by the sudden appearance of a single spotlight; shining down on the center of the rectangular stage.

"Ladies and gents!" The melodious voice echoed throughout the large space, grabbing everyone's attention. Low murmurs broke out among the crowd, everybody suddenly tensing in anticipation. "Presenting…!" The announcer drew in a deep breath, Ruby inadvertently mimicking him; her hand tightening around Coco's once more.

"Vale's seasonal fashion line! The theme is flowers of the four seasons!"

Dozens of lights sparked to life, creating a cacophony of click sounds as they swiftly began to outline the rectangular shape of the stage, drawing excited cheers from the crowds. Coco let herself release a small sigh of relief when Ruby squealed in excitement, finally letting go of her hands and leaning ridiculously forward in her seat. She made sure to keep an eye on her date; _just_ in case Ruby decided to lean a little too far out.

"Holy dust…" Ruby said in awe as models began to stride out, sashaying down the stage in glorious outfits. The dazzling mix of colors and adrenaline made her soul sing as she watched dresses flutter elegantly; some glaringly bright while others took on a more subtle approach, instead opting for fancy hems or collars. She could hear the crowd let out 'ohhs' and 'ahhs' at every new outfit, some people clapping politely if it was not to their taste while others cheered enthusiastically if it was. The models strutted out with their own brand of confidence, twirling differently or striking numerous poses and drawing cheers from the crowd.

She sneaked a glance at Coco sitting beside her in a relaxed pose, one arm on her arm rest while the other rested near her own hand. Her usually covered eyes were now laid bare to the world, the designer sunglasses tucked into her pocket. Ruby felt grow warm as she observed the older girl. The dim lighting of the hall barely allowed her to see anything, but the bright lights of the stage shone directly towards them, the angle of the light hitting Coco at just the _right_ angle…

Her facial features seemed as if it were cut from marble, an elegant nose and perfectly curved cheekbones, but what caught Ruby's attention was not that. No, it was her coffee coloured eyes. She always loved the way her eyes resembled the warm and calming drink and despite not being much of a fan of it at first, she had grown to love it soon enough. The same could be said for Coco.

Ruby hid a smile behind her hand, drinking in the sight of her date in all of her intimidating but spectacular glory. It wasn't possible to miss the way she lit up when another gorgeous dress caught her eye, Coco practically glowing at the displays of ingenuity and beauty. She bit her lip to keep from giggling and possibly disturbing the other girl. Just as she was about to turn her attention back to the show, Ruby felt her heart leap into over drive when a soft hand enveloped her own.

"Enjoying the view?" Coco whispered teasingly, glancing at her date with an amused twinkle in her eyes. She hadn't wanted to poke fun at her but the chance was just too good to pass up. Of course, Coco wouldn't admit (out loud) that she was flattered by Ruby's appreciative gaze; the roaming silver eyes making her usually stern expression melt into one of partial embarrassment and genuine happiness. "Well don't let me stop you. Look all you want…"

Ruby swallowed, forcing down her blush when the words were practically purred instead of spoken, the sudden rush of blood to her head drowning out noise emanating from beneath them. "I-I was just, Y-Y'know…" She stammered, looking away nervously. Getting caught in the act of admiring was definitely not part of her plan. She was torn between feeling horrified and wanting to bury herself in the ground.

Just then, a gloved hand reached out to grab her chin, her surprised gaze meeting Coco's determined ones. The younger girl could almost feel the warm breath dancing across her face, their close proximity making her heart flutter. "It's alright Ruby." She said playfully, the coloured stripe of hair tickling her nose. Coco leaned forward, her mouth next to hers and nipped the shell of her ear.

The action made her shiver, hands reflexively reaching out and grabbing her woolen sweater. Instead of feeling annoyed, Coco grinned at the somewhat predicted reaction, using the momentary advantage to hook her arm around Ruby's waist, going beneath the blood red cloak. "I'm. All. Yours." She purred before kissing her.


	3. Chapter 3

Coco flipped through the colorful pages of the newest edition of her favourite fashion magazine. Sunlight filtered through the window, bathing her in warmth. A steaming mug of tea, accompanied by her sunglasses, rested on the small table beside her. With a padded backrest and a cooling breeze to prevent it from becoming too hot, Coco's position was one that anyone would envy. All in all, she painted a perfectly serene picture.

The image was shattered however, when she heaved a sigh, and shut the magazine with a loud snap. Setting down the stack of pretty pictures beside her sunglasses, she took a long sip of her admittedly delicious homebrew of chai tea. The knot in her eyebrows gradually disappeared, though not completely. Nearby, an amused Fox regarded his partner curiously.

"Penny for your thoughts?" He said with a small smile. Patient fingers continued carefully wiping down his weapon, the student careful to avoid the sharp edges. Coco let out another sigh, a much smaller one this time, as her mouth formed a thin lipped smile. "Never pegged you for an advice giver, Fox."

He shrugged. "There's a first time for everything. Unless you want me to get Yatsuhashi, then I'm guessing that you just have to settle for me."

"It's nothing big. Honestly." She said. It sounded more like she was trying to convince herself than her partner. "I don't understand why I'm– christ, why do I sound like a fucking virgin?"

Fox had to stifle his laughter. "Hey now, no swearing in the dorm."

"Oh shut up!" Coco groaned at his quip and gulped down the rest of her tea. She winced at the burning sensation before slamming her mug back into the table, the poor thing wobbling under the force of the swing. It was no wonder that this was already their third table, Yatsuhashi may have the biggest muscles and a ridiculously large sword, and it was definitely their leader that won the contest for brute strength, despite her fashionable petite look. Some of her more…chauvinistic male admirers had been the receiving end of her mean right hook. "Must be the goddamn tea." She huffed.

"Right, blame the tea Coco." Her partner deadpanned. '_You are never using my tea leaves again.' _He thought, setting down his two weapons neatly on his personal weapon rack that Beacon had been kind enough to provide. "If you're done accusing a beverage, we have to meet Velvet for lunch before all the seats are gone."

"Alright, fine fine." The brunette raised her hands in frustration. "It's about Ruby."

"What about her?"

"It's complicated, Fox." Much to his growing annoyance, she managed to drift off into one of those dramatic tangents he usually heard on those rehashed romantic comedies he was forced to sit through on girl's night.

"Well then uncomplicated it." He said. "What's so difficult about–"

"SHE WON'T KISS ME!"

The outburst made him swallow his own words. He could hear Coco taking in deep breaths, and the rustle of leaves somewhere outside the window; a slight cacophony of chirps slicing the sudden awkward silence before disappearing. Uncomfortable at being told such a somewhat intimate problem, the second year shifted from foot to foot as his mind scrambled for something to say at that piece of information.

"Er–"

"I don't get it! It's been three months since we've been going out and I can count the times we kissed with _one hand_." Coco stressed her words, manicured fingers holding up a number which Fox could not see for obvious reasons. "Not only that, I am always, _always_ the one who initiates it. Whenever I try to think about it, I can't find the goddamn reason –!"

'_Oh dear lord, is she __**pacing**__? ' _The boy thought in horror as he picked up the clacking noises of her heeled boots, most likely making pin sized dents in the floorboard. Why oh, why must their team be held responsible for collateral damage even outside of battles? It was bad enough that they destroyed a building (it wasn't on purpose, he swore) on the last mission they went on. Adding floorboards to the list would NOT be good for his future credentials.

"–Of course I _want_ to ask her about it, but she's avoiding the topic like one of Goodwitch's weekly pop quizzes." She finished with one final sigh, plopping back into her favourite recliner (much to his relief) with a loud thump. Fox ran his fingers through his hair as he sought a solution for his stressed companion. He was drawing a blank on the situation, which was a given, since he had little to no experience with these types of things. "

But, being the practical guy he was, Fox replied with the best answer he could come up with.

"Then fight her."

"It's not going– wait what?" Coco paused for a brief moment as she turned to face him.

"Fight her." He reiterated. "Ruby may not know exactly _how _to tell you what the problem is, but maybe she can get through to you–" He gestured to her, cloudy white eyes conveying all the seriousness of his words, "through actions. You both are similar, don't you think? And besides, her combat level is ridiculously high. I doubt that even _you_ would have an easy time, despite the credit I give you Coco."

She grinned at the sudden rush of euphoria that shot through her veins. Quickly sliding on her shades, the girl grabbed her luxury suitcase and headed towards the door with a mission in mind. "Thanks a bunch." She said. Fox yelped in surprise when she slapped his butt as she breezed out of the room, leaving behind a disgruntled student whose bum would inevitably, be black and blue the next day.

He sighed, wincing when he sat back down on his bed. The things he endured for his friends…

* * *

The arena was littered with small batches of students, some bored out of their minds after finishing lunch with ample time to spare. Others just happened to be in the right place at the right time. Regardless, what they all had in common was the fact that they were currently in awe, watching a battle between two equally gifted students unfold in front of their very eyes.

The clash of metal sent shockwaves of air around the space of the arena, accompanied by grunts of relief at near misses. Ruby propelled herself into the air by releasing a shot from Crescent Rose, the firing power enough to send her soaring over her girlfriend and delivering a deadly slice towards her exposed back.

The attack was parried, Coco's own weapon hitting her scythe with enough force to make her hands burn as the grip bit into her flesh. Taking advantage of Ruby's place in midair, the older student kicked forward, her foot accurately smashing into the girl's ribs. A gasp rippled through the crowd as they watched the exceptional scythe wielder tumble back; face contorted in pain. A pale hand touched the sore spot gently, aware that her aura had taken a heavy blow with that kick.

One might have thought that Coco's strength laid in the use of her powerful bludgeon/gun; however, what they didn't know was that she was also well versed in the art of kick boxing. Ruby knew that each punch or kick, though not as painful as her goddam suitcase, could eat away at her remaining aura and eventually finish her off if her girlfriend decided to go with hand to hand combat instead.

With a sinking feeling, Ruby reloaded Crescent rose, filling the chambers up with some dust rounds for a good measure. When Coco approached her to spar, she instantly realized that this was the older girl's silent question. Each smashing blow was accompanied by the feeling of confusion and doubt, and Ruby tried her best to answer her with her own parries and blows. Mocha eyes were revealed when Ruby managed to break through her guard, causing her shades to be flung away when the steel blade passed within inches of her own face.

Coco was forced to jump back and retreat as mini explosions of dust blasted small craters into the training arena floor when a barrage of bullets aimed towards her came raining down from the cloaked figure in mid jump.

'_An opening_!'

Ruby was startled when her opponent suddenly dashed across the arena, rapidly closing the space between them. Preparing to use her semblance to escape the obvious tactic of trying to box her in, she disappeared in a flash of rose petals...only to be on the receiving end of a flurry of bullets as Coco's suitcase shifted into that of a mini-gun. Barely managing to deflect them, Ruby collapsed on the ground with a groan, her energy spent.

She blinked.

A shadow fell upon her, the tall figure made even _more_ imposing by high heels. Even when she knew that a certain death was befalling her, Ruby couldn't help but admire the way Coco's sweater fitted snugly on her frame and how the belt of bullets outlined her girlfriend's contoured waist. '_I regret nothing!' _She thought to herself with a blush as she braced herself for the final blow. Instead, Coco leveled her with a gaze that could have withered flowers.

"Do you have anything to say for yourself?" She said.

Ruby nodded meekly, sheepishly at everything but her. "I-I'm s-sorry. Y'know for not being more…forward. I-I didn't want to be too clingy…" The girl fidgeted uncomfortably and swallowed a whimper as Coco slowly reached out.

The whimper turned into a yelp of surprise when Coco suddenly kissed her. The familiar scent of her girlfriend's perfume turned her already weak legs into jelly, and she was suddenly thankful that she wasn't standing. '_Oh dust is that–'_ She felt a hot tongue enter her mouth roughly, making her heart rate triple ten-fold. Ruby could taste the faint hint of something sweet (was that tea?) and felt her eyelids flutter shut and reached out to hold Coco's waist when–

The sound of the slap was loud enough to reach the gaggle of students, who watched on in part shock and part sympathy when they spotted the poor girl looking as disoriented as hell.

"You know what that's for, don't you?" Coco said calmly, smirking slightly when her girlfriend nodded quickly. Satisfied at the short but intense make out session and the closure of their first (and hopefully last) fight, the second year placed a light kiss on the red patch of skin on Ruby's face and strolled away.

"What…?" Ruby said in bewilderment.

Somewhere in the stands, Nora shrugged.

"Heh, _women_."


	4. Chapter 4

(Note: Chapter ends in a cliffhanger, just incase you want to wait for the next chapter)

* * *

"_Finally_, I thought the damn queue would go on forever." Coco grumbled. She set down the two cups of steaming liquid, one coffee and other a hot chocolate. Ruby nodded in agreement, pecking the older girl lightly on the cheek. "Well, it can't be helped. Today's a Friday after all." The two plates landed on the table with a muted 'thud' sound, making Ruby wince. Relaxing into her chair, she lazily used the tips of her fingers to push Coco's plate across the table, along with a set of utensils.

The leader of team RWBY grinned at the mouth-watering spread on her own plate, and began digging in; lathering the golden brown pancakes with a generous amount of honey.

"Sides' waiting a longer isn't that bad." Ruby said happily. "They even gave me extra pancakes! "She sliced the flapjack in half before shoving one piece into her mouth, chewing noisily, the pure enjoyment on her face making Coco snort. Gods, this girl could be so adorable without even trying.

"Pfft, of course they would. And they don't give extra's to just _anyone_." She pointed to her own plate. "Not surprising, considering that you and the lunch ladies are on a first name basis." Coco laughed, drinking her hot coffee in small sips

"Hehe, but still, it was awfully nice of them though."

The second year smiled and leaned forward to pinch her cheeks. "Of course." She teased, enjoying how Ruby's face flushed when they made eye contact. "Who would be able to resist a cutie like you?" She snickered when her girlfriend tried to smack the offending hand away, brandishing the fork like it were a deadly weapon.

"Stawp eet!" Ruby groaned, pulling at her gloves. Coco smirked and let go of her cup to pinch the other cheek, barely holding down a laugh when Ruby tried to pout. "Cocooooo!"This continued for several minutes, the couple playfully pawing at each other, drawing several eye rolls from the other students and even some dreamy sighs. Almost the entire student body knew that the two were dating after their quote unquote 'spar' that destroyed half the training room all those months ago.

The people who had witnessed that spectacular event had apparently gone on to spread rumours about it being a 'courtship ritual'. Even though several months had passed after their fight, Ruby still had people approaching her for 'tips' on how to woo prospective love interests. Apparently, becoming the girlfriend of one of the most sought after students in the school had given her a reputation of sorts. Which she had declined to comment on, of course. Coco had a fucking field day when she'd heard that Ruby was supposed to be the dominant one in their relationship.

Blake had once told her (with a rather serious expression) that she was a _uke_. Inwardly, she still wondered what the name meant. She couldn't play any instruments, let alone a ukulele.

Once Coco deigned to let go of her cheeks, Ruby swatted the retreating hands with a small huff and promptly went back to eating her pancakes. Devouring them within minutes, she then moved on to the hash browns, dunking the delicious deep fried starch into some ketchup before stuffing them into her mouth. Cup half-drained of liquid, the older girl started on her own breakfast as well, consisting of some sunny side eggs, ham and a few pieces of toast. She dusted the crumbs off her lap once she'd polished off the toast, and looked up just in time to see Velvet heading towards their table.

"Hey Velvs." She greeted with a wave. The rabbit Faunus echoed her greeting, slipping into the seat besides hers with a quiet sigh. Ruby briefly looked up to say hello, before her attention was drawn away by the scrambled eggs. Contrary to popular TV tropes, the food at Beacon wasn't all _that_ bad. She still regretted letting Yang use those turkeys during their food fight. The lunch ladies had refused to serve any meat to team RWBY after the food fight. It didn't help that Weiss stained the canteen floor with tomato sauce, either.

"Why the long face?" Coco asked, frowning. "Did that wimp Cardin try something again?"

"Not really." Velvet shrugged. "He hasn't come near me after Yatsuhashi hung him from the flag pole with his underwear." She giggled, recalling the memory. Wedgie indeed. The boy couldn't sit down for weeks without groaning. The fashionista chuckled, twirling her fork in one hand. "Oh yeah, I remember that. It was pure gold. Who knew the big guy had it in him?"

"I'd admit, it was pretty awesome." The Faunus nodded, her lips quirking up into a sly smile.

"So, what's with the frown? Bad hair day? Or did you trip over Fox's slippers? I swear, he leaves those things everywhere..."

Velvet fidgeted in her seat. "Well it's not any of that. It's actually about…_that_ thing."

Coco blinked, a little confused. "That thing? What thi– oh. _Oh_." Mocha coloured eyes widened in realization. "That. Got it."

Velvet leaned closer to her leader, making sure that Ruby wasn't listening in. "I asked around, and it turns out that you have to ask Professor Goodwitch for permission if you want to use the rooftop."

"What?" Coco groaned. "So you mean that I tell Goodwitch what I need it for?"

"Yep. That's the gist of it."

"Well, shit. Thanks Velvs, at least we still have a day or two to find another place." The minigun wielder let out a long suffering sigh. "Or, I guess I could just ask. Hopefully she won't send me to detention for being too sappy." She grimaced. "I'm glad that we didn't piss her off in any of our combat classes. Dust help me if we did."

Ruby suddenly sighed in satisfaction and leaned back into her seat, the chair creaking noisily; the sudden noise bringing the two upperclassmen out of their discussion. Coco straightened in her seat, schooling her expression into a bored one. Velvet panicked, ears twitching nervously as she fought to calm herself down. Thankfully, Ruby didn't notice their faux innocent vibes, and smiled at the two. "I gotta get to class. We have history with professor Oobleck for the first lesson." She said with a wince. Nodding in understanding, Coco shot her a reassuring grin. That man could be a horrible nag if any of his students arrived late.

"Go ahead, babe, I'll see you after school."

"Kay!" She chirped. In a whirlwind of rose petals, she flashed to Coco's side. To her credit, her girlfriend didn't even flinch, only tilting her head to look up; eyes glittering with amusement and adoration. Velvet jumped three feet into the air, coughing to cover up her embarrassment when she realised it was just Ruby.

"See you." Ruby mumbled. With shaky, unconfident movements she cupped Coco's cheek and captured her lips in a sweet kiss. Coco smiled against her lips, letting her hands rest on Ruby's hips. The kiss was gentle, a far cry from their usual, heated ones that occurred when they were alone. Nevertheless, the second year appreciated that Ruby had gathered the courage to kiss her in a room filled with students. She was usually quite shy, so it meant a lot to Coco that her girlfriend willingly stepped out of her comfort zone to show her how she felt.

Giving Ruby's lips a small lick before separating, Coco wrapped her arms around the girl in a hug, their bodies pressed into one another's. Once she let go, Ruby sped away; her face a vibrant red. Velvet rolled her eyes good naturedly, amused that her two friends were acting so couple-y. It wasn't the first time she'd seen something like this, but every time she did, she couldn't stop herself from smiling because they were was So. Darn. Cute. The rabbit Faunus let out a dreamy sigh. And they wondered why people placed bets on them. The Adel-Rose ship had set sail, and there was nay an iceberg in sight.

* * *

Ruby fell into her bed with a tired sigh, her brain overworked from spending the better part of the day _learning_. She scowled. Sparring was far more fun than being force fed information. Kicking off her boots, she stretched, working out the stiffness in her arms and yawned. Weiss scowled when a wayward boot hit her shoulders and pinched the fleshy calf of the exposed leg. Ruby yelped and quickly drew up her feet.

"Don't be such a slob." She lectured, picking up said boots and neatly lined them side by side. "This place is already messy enough with your sister marking the whole room with her trash." She grimaced when she stepped into a pile of dirty laundry and promptly picked them up to dump them in the basket where they rightfully belonged.

"Sorry, Weisssss." Came the muffled reply. The heiress looked up to see her leader with her head buried into the pillow. Rolling her eyes, she went back to her desk and continued sorting out her papers, occasionally marking some parts with a pen. Making a note to put them into her colour coded binder once she was done, Weiss slipped the papers into a small plastic file when Ruby called her name.

"H-Hey, can I ask you something?" The girl poked her head out of the topmost bunk, looking slightly nervous.

Cocking a delicate eyebrow, Weiss nodded. "Go ahead."

Ruby swallowed, and retrieved the precious item from a small box hidden under her mattress. "What do you think of this? Does it…look nice?" She held out the necklace for her partner to see. The late afternoon sunlight bounced off the metal surface, giving it a beautiful grey sheen. An emblem the size of a coat button from the middle of the chain, which Weiss reached out to trace, the design seeming very familiar somehow.

"Wow." She said, admiring the workmanship. "I'm impressed. Did you make this, Ruby?"

The girl in question twiddled her thumbs shyly at the compliment, smiling at the awestruck look on her partner's face.

"Yeah…I tried combining my emblem with Coco's. At least it didn't turn out too badly."

The heiress nodded, still caught up in admiring the necklace. So that's why it looked so familiar. If she looked hard enough, Weiss could catch the tell-tale outline of a rose, suspended in the middle of the entire emblem due to the chains that was connected it to what looked like Coco's own symbol. Despite the plainness of it, Weiss knew that it must have been difficult to make, especially with how intricate the emblem looked to be. Idly, she thought that if Ruby didn't end up as a huntress (for some unfathomable reason) she could probably make a fortune if she ever got into a different kind of trade.

"So, do you think she'd like it?" Ruby's meek voice intruded into her thoughts. Weiss smiled, pushing the necklace back towards the other girl. "Of course!" She exclaimed, folding her arms under her chest. "Have more confidence in yourself, Ruby. The necklace is absolutely _gorgeous_. I swear it on my name as a Schnee."

Ruby giggled, the nervous glint in her silver eyes dissipating. Tucking it back into her pocket, Ruby beamed at her partner. "Okay, I was pretty worried that it won't be good enough as an anniversary present."

"Oh please." The heiress eye rolled. "The very best gifts a person can receive are the ones which are the most thoughtful. I could only wish that my father cared enough to send my mother a proper gift. Do you know what he gave her for an anniversary present the year before? A car. A sports car, to be more exact." Weiss deadpanned. "I believe that my mother told him to drive it off a cliff."

Ruby laughed, throwing an arm around her shoulder. "Sorry, but I'm fresh outta cars, Weiss." She joked. "Looks like Coco will just have to settle for the necklace."

"Thank goodness for that. She probably wouldn't need a car, anyway, she does have you after all."

Ruby squealed and rubbed their cheeks together, making the heiress yelp. "Aww who knew you could be so sweet, Weissy?"

"S-Shut up you dolt!" She snapped. "I was merely stating the facts!"

"Sooo you do careeeee!"

The heiress swatted her partner on the shoulder, scowling. Ruby held her arms up in surrender, though the huge, shit eating grin on her face made Weiss stomp her feet in annoyance. "Whatever! If you need me, I'll be in the library." She huffed. Grabbing her things, she pointedly ignored a giggling Ruby and sped out of the room, kicking the door shut behind her. Laughter dying down after Weiss had left, Ruby had the sudden beginnings of another good idea. Bouncing on her heels animatedly, Ruby decided find Velvet and show her the necklace, possibly to get another proper opinion. Slipping her boots on, the hyperactive girl exited the room and sprinted off to find team CFVY.

Going up a flight of stairs, she turned down a corner which lead directly to their room and ran straight into someone. Hard. Thankfully, she managed to prevent herself from face planting on the ground by grabbing a nearby window sill. The other person however, was not as lucky. Falling onto the floor with a pained grunt, the girl gasped when she realised that the bag she had been holding had fallen, all the groceries strewed all over the hallway. Muttering curses under her breath, Velvet sighed and picked herself up from the ground, ready to succumb to the fate of picking up all the fallen items when Ruby intervened.

"Ohmygod Iamsosorry–" The first year gaped when she realised who she had bumped into. "Velvet?"

The faunus froze in mid-action, ears erect and eyes widening in shock.

"Oh shit, I'm so sorry Velvet!" Ruby cried, mentally slapping herself for being such a klutz. "Here, I'll help you!" She activated her semblance, rose petals hitting the second year in the face as she raced around the hallway, picking up all the items and depositing them back into the paper bag. Velvet felt herself sweating bullets as she blubbered out a shaky 'thanks'.

"S-So what are you doing here, Ruby?"

"Oh!" Ruby grinned, remembering her objective. "I was looking for you!"

"Huh? For me?"

"Yep. I wanted to show you this–" Fishing out the necklace from her pocket, she held it out proudly. Something akin to relief swept through her when the older girl gasped in shock, one hand reaching out to admire the present with awe shining in her eyes. Smiling at the favourable reaction, Ruby asked, "So do you think Coco will like it? I know it's kinda small and stuff but…"

"Absolutely!" The rabbit faunus assured, completely shedding her previous demeanour. "It's beautiful. If anything, Coco will be glad to add it to her outfit. You know how obsessed she is, with clothes and accessories." Velvet said, holding back a snort of laughter.

"Soooo, what are you doing with all this stuff, Velvs?" Ruby looked at the bag with confusion dancing across her face. "Did the lunch room close down or something…?"

Velvet nearly dropped bag of groceries. The feeling of panic swamped her once more, and she tried to come up with a viable excuse. She was _not_ going to be the spoilsport who ruined the surprise!

"It's for…e-erm" She stammered. "A picnic. Yeah, that's it! The second years are going to have a picnic tomorrow for one of our..." She stumbled over her words, beads of sweat rolling down her temple. Lying had never been her strong suit. "F-For one of our classes. Hehe, you know, for home-ec?" Velvet mentally high fived herself when Ruby nodded, buying the ridiculous excuse.

"Oh, that's awesome! I didn't know we had– wait a second." Ruby frowned. She looked up, more confused than ever. "Isn't tomorrow, a Saturday? Why do you guys still have classes? And wait, Beacon has cooking classes?!" The innocent gaze was almost too much to bear, and the older girl felt her mental functions ceasing under the sudden bout of stress.

'_MISSION ABORT!' _Her mind screamed. '_PLAN FAILED, ABORT NOW'_

"NO– I m-mean…" Velvet jumped at her own shout, trying her hardest to salvage the situation. "We're going to have a team dinner tomorrow, s-so we planned on buying all the ingredients first." She laughed weakly. "You know how spontaneous we can be…"

Ruby felt her face fall in disappointment. Coco had agreed to meet up for a date the next evening. It _was_ their anniversary after all. She sighed, pocketing the necklace.

"Oh. I thought Coco and I had plans for tomorrow." She mumbled sadly.

Velvet choked on her own spit when she realised her mistake. "No no no you are. I-I mean, she is!" She shook her head rapidly. "She needs this stuff to prepare dinner for you I– OH GODDAMN IT!"

Ruby took a step back when her friend suddenly exploded, eyes wild and chest heaving. Velvet pinched the bridge of her nose, her levels of stress rising when she became aware of her slip up. It had been going so well (not) too! Gnashing her teeth together, she peered at the younger girl with an apology shining in her rapidly wetting eyes. She sniffed. "I'm so sorry, Ruby. It was supposed to be a surprise and–"

Ruby cut her off when Velvet looked ready to bawl her eyes out. "No it's fine! Really!" She assured. "I would have found out soon anyways so it's alright!" She said, hurriedly petting the rabbit faunus on the back. She was horrible at comforting people, especially the crying ones.

"Erm, well, I'll let you get back to what you were doing. Don't worry though, I'm great at acting surprised. Yang and I had tons of practice when our dad threw those 'surprise' birthday parties for us."

Velvet nodded tearfully. Afraid that she would cry again, Ruby bid her goodbye and got the _heck_ out of there. The second year looked ready to implode from stress, and Ruby finding about the secret dinner was the final straw that broke the donkey's back. Or the rabbit's back, in this case.

Shaking her head to rid herself of those thoughts, Ruby froze in her tracks when it dawned of her. The weight of the necklace suddenly amplified tenfold, feeling like it was burning a hole into her pocket. She weighed the two gifts in her head; a surprise home-made dinner _versus_ a pathetic, tiny necklace.

Ruby threw her head back with a frustrated groan.

There was no way in _hell_ the necklace would be good enough.

Later that night, a certain Xiao Long was roused from his sleep by the horrible blaring of his scroll. Drowsily looking at the caller ID, he clicked the answer icon and was greeted the ramblings of his apologetic daughter.

"Eh whas wrong, Rubes?" Tai yang groaned into the receiver. He squinted his eyes, catching a glimpse of the time. Grunting when he saw that it was 2 am, he buried his face into the pillow. He really shouldn't have challenged Qrow to that drinking contest.

"…Sorry dad." Ruby smiled sheepishly as she stared in nothing in particular, her head propped up on a pillow. "I kinda need some help. It's an emergency. Can I–" Her words trailed off into a mumble.

"…You what?" He rubbed his eyes sleepily. "Sorry, I didn't catch that. Come again?"

"Er–" Ruby stuttered. "Can I have I have an advance on my allowance? Like maybe for the next five months?"

"Honey. Did something happen?" Tai Yang's voice sounded strangely perturbed and slightly more awake. "Tell me the truth, don't worry I won't be mad."

A pregnant pause. And then–

"Did your sister get arrested?"

The unspoken '_finally_' hung between them, though Ruby caught herself just in time and sputtered indignantly. She looked out of her bunk, relaxing when she realised that all her team mates were still asleep. On the other side of the line, her father sneezed, bringing her attention back to him.

"Of course not!" She berated him softly. "That was mean, dad."

Tai Yang chuckled but said nothing. He knew better than to incur his younger daughter's wrath. The two girls were cut from the same cloth, not afraid to speak up for one another. They showed their love in vastly different ways though. Folding his arms, the man let out a sigh when he remembered what Ruby had asked of him.

"What do you need that much money for?" He said, frowning slightly. "I don't suppose you have a good explanation for that?"

"Ugh, daaaaad!" Ruby groaned. "Like I said, it's an emergency! It's…it's complicated."

"That's what _you _said when I came home to a house completely _covered_ in toilet paper and origami cranes back when you were still studying at Signal. And do you know I found another one of those darn things behind the TV a few days ago? Not to mention the–

Tai yang had started listing all the items he had found, and even adding in a small rant about how her uncle Qrow had cheated in their game of cards and snagged the rest of the beer for himself. Once his ramblings had finally died down, Ruby tried to plead her case once again, letting in a good whimper or two in for good measure. But being the softie he was, Tai yang eventually acquiesced to her request. He made her promise to tell her the reason for it after everything was done with, and she nodded glumly since it was the least she could do to make up for borrowing such a sizable sum of lien.

Hanging up after a very happy good bye, Ruby felt her nerves ease up a little. Calmer than she was before, she internally fist pumped. Earlier that night, she had already decided on the perfect (second) gift to get for her girlfriend, and now, she even had enough lien for it. Snuggling into the pillow and setting her alarm for nine am, she drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The next afternoon found Ruby walking down the streets of Vale, on the prowl for any establishments that sold the item she was looking for at affordable prices. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. Ruby rubbed her aching feet, sighing as she snuck another look at her scroll. Three hours had already passed since she'd first started her search, and still _nothing_. The few shops she had found were _insane_, the prices where they sold dust and items that made use of said dust was enough to give her nightmares in the months to come. _No wonder_ the Schnee family were rolling in dough.

Bringing out her scroll, she mentally checked out some of the places listed in the directory. There had been more shops that sold dust before, but due to a string of White Fang robberies, shops were closed down and sent dust prices through the roof.

In the next hour, Ruby visited two or three more shops, each place becoming further and further from the airship dock. Unluckily for her, they didn't have the special dust rounds she wanted. She groaned, wondering why Coco liked to use that hulk of a mini-gun. It was one of the old models, so dust rounds for that production line were _extremely_ difficult to find. Cursing her luck, Ruby came to a stop at the final shop on her list. She was roughly thirty minutes away from the airships, and if she wanted to make it back in time for her date with Coco, she could only spare another half hour. In one arm was a plastic bag, housing the large gift box full of chocolate Ruby stuffed into it. She had planned to present the box of dust rounds with the chocolates, but putting the special dust rounds _with_ the chocolates seemed more romantic. Thankfully, it already had a tasteful if somewhat classy design, so she didn't need to wrap it.

Patting her pocket filled with lien, she entered the store with anticipation thrumming in her veins. She swiftly approached the counter, smiling when the store keeper greeted her with a hearty hello.

"Excuse me, but do you happen to sell special dust rounds for this –" she rattled off the set of numbers from the slip of paper.

He quirked a brow and nodded. "As a matter of fact, we do! Let me get it for you, it's in the back. It didn't sell too well when we put it for sale, so we just decided to keep it in storage unless anyone asks for it specifically." He explained.

Ruby perked up, nodding furiously. Finally! She would make it back in time after all. "Great, can I get around–"

_BANG_

A gunshot split the air. Reacting on instinct, she whipped out Crescent Rose, slicing the bullet into half. The store keeper yelled in fright, ducking behind the counter as several more gunshots erupted. Ruby dodged them expertly, blocking the ones she couldn't avoid with large swings of her scythe; the bullets bouncing off Crescent rose like pebbles.

"Well, well. Look who we have here." Roman drawled. He twirled his cane and pointed one end at her. "Hey, Red! Doing a little shopping? What a coincidence, me too!" He laughed, threading his fingers through his hair.

She growled fiercely, irritation visible on her features.

"Leave this shop alone Roman! You don't know how long I had to walk to find it!"

The man behind the counter glanced up at her tearfully, thanking his stars that this little girl was somehow a freaking _badass_.

"Heh, so the little girl is baring her claws, eh?"

Roman signalled two henchmen from the group of ten to step forward. The White Fang grunts did so with scowls, still slightly unhappy that they were being ordered around by a _human_. Still, they held their tongues. The man was a stuck up idiot, but he knew his stuff. He wasn't known as one of the best thieves in Vale for nothing.

"What are you waiting for, a sticker? _Get her_!"

The two fauni lunged forward, one brandishing a sword while the other extended a set of sharp claws. The swooped forward, slashing at Ruby in perfect synchronisation. Leaping backwards to avoid a sudden side swipe, Ruby felt her face harden when they'd managed to cut off a small bit of material from her skirt. Careful not to knock over the shelves of displayed dust, she dodged another attack and spun, blunt edge of Crescent rose hitting the grunt holding the sword square in the face. He fell backwards, the force of the hit dislocating his jaw, and quickly retreated behind his partner.

The one with the claws let loose an angered howl and lunged at her. The sudden viciousness of the attack forced her to block, his claws striking the surface of her weapon in a flurry of deadly slashes. Grinning when she seemed to retreat, he over extended, leaving himself open when she pulled back a little more. Seeing her chance, Ruby used her semblance to rush in. Firing a bullet at the ground, she became a blur as she was propelled forward the recoil. She smashed into him, using her shoulder to send him flying. He yelped in surprise at being caught off guard, and flew back, knocking into the sword wielder. They both toppled to the ground with similar groans, causing the rest of the White Fang members to growl in obvious annoyance. Ruby smirked and twirled her scythe in provocation.

Roman eyed the two morons, eye twitching at how Red had completely _owned_ them. He should have known these grunts were as useless at Junior's men. He gritted his teeth and opened his mouth to order the rest of his men to attack when one of the bigger (scarier) White Fang members stepped forward. He cut a menacing figure, towering over the gentleman thief. The orange chainsaw in his hand did nothing but help that image.

"I'll take her on." He rasped, the red slits of his Grimm mask glowing eerily. "She's the partner of that Schnee girl." Roman suppressed a shiver when he laughed throatily, his weapon roaring to life when he pulled the crankshaft.

"I wonder what kind of expression she would make, when I send this little girl back in pieces."

Ruby tensed, eyes on the new threat in front of her. Her grip on Crescent rose tightened. The man moved forward with several steps and grinned. In the blink of an eye, he was upon her, the sharp blades of the chainsaw lighting up the room with sparks as Ruby parried it with her own blade. The vicious roar of the chainsaw made the girl flinch instinctively and with each swing, Ruby felt herself being pushed back, the sheer power behind each his attacks knocking the wind out of her.

She knew she was at a severe disadvantage. Trying to land a few hits on him, she ducked under his next swing, employing the same move that propelled her forward. She jabbed him in the chest, the sound of his ribs cracking making her smirk. Shooting another bullet, the force of the shot pushed her elbow deeper into the muscled chest. He let out a pained grunt, the grip on his chainsaw slackening. Pressing to her advantage, Ruby leapt back and then forward again, spinning crescent rose in gigantic arcs. The sharp blade glided over his shaved head as he ducked under the swings, the whoosh sounds her weapon made making her blood sing with adrenaline.

The man growled. He parried her next slash with one of his own and let his other hand fly forward, punching her. She yelped at the pain which blossomed in her jaw, the force of the punch sending her flying backwards. Face throbbing with pain, Ruby winced when she staggered into the edge of a shelf, the sharp point digging into her back. She looked up, eyes widening when she saw him lift _part of the counter, _grinning manically while he did so. Roman sent her a look of pity. To say that this was going to hurt would be an understatement.

Breath caught in her throat, Ruby desperately searched for her scroll, dragging it out of her pocket in hurried movements. Seeing her frantically pressing her scroll, the Faunus laughed.

"Sweet dreams, little girl."

The last thing she saw was his grinning face as the giant object whizzed towards her.

And then everything went black.

* * *

**AN**: Honestly, I wanted to finish it up with this chapter but it got to 7k words and the final scenes were was getting kinda sloppy, so I decided to split the last chapter into two parts so that the ending wouldn't be just some rushed thingy, lol. I will (hopefully) update it the next day or on friday. Sorry about this guys! Hope you enjoyed this chapter too though!


	5. Chapter 5

"_The number you have reached is not available. Please, try again–"_

Coco crushed the scroll with her hand.

It wheezed, the thin frame giving way under the pressure. The mangled mess was then tossed aside, the object disappearing into the bushes. Coco felt her unease growing and stared out into the darkness. The resplendent view of Beacon academy did nothing but irritate her.

Each call had been sent straight to voicemail, and hearing the same, chirpy recording over and over again made her want to tear her hair out in frustration. She began to pace around the small rooftop garden, circling the cosy dinner setup she had been working on for the entirety of the afternoon. The candles on the table danced brightly against the backdrop of an inky blue sky, the sun having set some time ago.

Coco ruffled her hair in annoyance. She should have realized that something wrong after that single phone call. Cursing herself for missing it, she felt the familiar spark of guilt bubble up from the pit of her stomach. She had been upset when Ruby didn't turn up at the time they had agreed upon, but when the minutes stretched and the veil of black fell from the heavens above, the rational side of her knew that something was terribly wrong.

And when the sun had set, the still gnawing absence of her lover was enough to set off the warning bells in her head.

She rushed down the rooftop, going as fast as her heels could possibly take her. She made it to team RWBY's room in record time, pounding on the door while simultaneously yelling for Yang to 'get her butt' out here. After a few seconds of tense waiting, the door flew open, revealing a rather confused Velvet and an irate blonde boxer. The irritation melted into surprise when she had realised who it was.

"Coco?" Velvet blurted. "What are you doing here? And where's Ruby? Weren't you guys supposed to be on a date right now?"

Yang nodded, placing her hands on her hips, waiting for an explanation. It didn't make sense to the brawler that the second year would ditch her little sister. She hadn't done so before, and there was certainly no reason to do it now. There must have been a good reason for it, in any case. Meanwhile, Coco regarded both girls with a pinched expression. Her fears had been confirmed and they weren't all too pleasant. Coco was not the type to jump to conclusions, but nothing seemed to make sense at the moment. If Ruby wasn't in her room then…where was she?

"Ruby hasn't turned up yet." She said. "She didn't answer her scroll and we were supposed to meet on the rooftops about an hour ago."

Yang felt her blood freeze in her veins. Semblance flaring, she grabbed the fashionista by her shoulders, staring at her fiercely.

"What? Whaddya mean she's not with you?" She hissed. "I swear to god, if this is a joke…" The grip on her shoulders tightened considerably, but Coco didn't even bat an eyelash.

"Do you think that I would bother to joke about something like _this_?" She replied tersely.

Velvet put her hand on Yang's shoulder, making the other girl flinch. Breaths beginning to grow heavy, she released her grip on Coco and barrelled back into the dorm room. The second years followed closely behind her, their faces wearing identical looks of with worry. They silently watched as the boxer ripped through her sizable gym bag, sweaty towels and socks flying everywhere. Velvet side stepped a stray sock and winced when she took in the mess on floor. Weiss was definitely going to have an aneurism when she got back.

"What the hell are you doing?" Coco snapped. Frankly, she didn't like not knowing things, and Yang's actions was grating on her already, thin nerves.

"I can track down Ruby's scroll. Our scrolls have homing chips in them –don't ask why– and I just need to find mine, the damn thing should be somewhere around here–"

"You mean this?" Velvet interrupted, holding up the device. "It was on your bed, Yang. We were prank calling team JNPR, remember?"

Yang shot the Faunus a sheepish grin. Coco rolled her eyes and grabbed the scroll before tossing it at her. Catching it with one hand, she quickly went to work, fingers flying across the keyboard. The room fell silent, the only sounds that could be heard being as a series of soft beeps and muttered expletives. Feet tapping impatiently, Coco tried not to think about what could have happened to Ruby. Horrible scenes flashed across her mind's eye, each vision making her body tense, like a hunting trap ready to snap.

"Fuck. Fuckfuckfuck…" Yang suddenly launched into a tirade of curses. The air around her rippled as her golden mane began to shimmer brightly, the temperature of the room rising rapidly. Velvet felt the hair on the nape of her neck stand erect when Coco snarled, the blood curdling expression on her leader's face enough to make her legs turn into jelly.

"Where?" She demanded, pulling off her designer sunglasses to meet Yang's gaze. "_Where is she_?"

"Somewhere near the Vale harbour. I got the coordinates right here, but the only thing I remember being there is a couple of warehouses."

"D-Do you want me to get the rest of our teams? But I'm not too sure where Yatsuhashi and Fox are…" Velvet stammered, slowly inching away from the two daunting figures that looked ready to unleash hell on earth. "Or maybe I can just get Blake and Weiss?" She offered meekly.

"Forget it. I don't want to risk wasting anymore time." Yang answered, slipping on Ember celica. "I'm going to get her _now_, with or without their help."

"What do you mean _I_?" Coco said through gritted teeth. "All three of us are going, so let's stop arguing like a bunch of _dumbasses_ and get to it, alright?"

* * *

Ruby stirred, slowly blinking awake. She groaned, the sound morphing into a gasp when a blinding flash of pain pierced her skull, temporarily paralysing her. Silver eyes stared up at nothing in particular, trying to focus on the chipped ceiling, rather than the way her body ached with each tiny movement.

She tried to stretch, and grunted in surprise when she realised that her hands and legs were bound. Struggling for a few seconds, Ruby all but gave up when the rope bit into her wrists and ankles like they were coated with pieces of jagged glass; adding to the numerous cuts and scrapes on her body.

"Look who's decided to _finally_ join the party!" Roman exclaimed. He smirked when the young huntress-in-training glared at him, starting to struggle against her binds. Chuckling, he waggled his finger condescendingly. "Welcome back to the world of the living, Red! It was a better place without you, but only for a moment." He sighed dramatically. "What would I ever do without you? It would be a pretty boring place if no one tries to ruin my plans."

She growled, lifting her head to peer at man leaning against the wall in adjacent from her. The smirk of enjoyment on his face made her struggle at her binds with renewed vigour. Tugging at them to no avail, the gentleman thief looked amused at her attempts of escape.

"Ah ah ah. Wiggle too much and you just might fall off the crate." He shrugged, taking a cigar out of his pocket and lighting it with a flourish of his hand. "You wouldn't want you to damage that head of yours, would we?"

Ruby ignored his question and instead chose to yell "Where are we?!" Immediately regretting it when her body retaliated at the action; the sudden burning sensation of liquid fire being poured down her neck making her whimper. The crimson haired girl let herself put her head back down on the crate, gritting her teeth as she suppressed a pained groan. Letting Torchwick see how much she was suffering was definitely _not_ on her top ten list.

He rolled his eyes. "I guess being hit by a chunk of wood didn't knock the fight out of you... such an annoying brat." He said, shaking his head. After saying that, Roman fell silent, puffing on his cigar. But then, out of the corner of his eye the thief saw one of his henchmen stumble, nearly dropping the large crate he was holding.

"Hey hey!" He snapped. "Watch the goods, alright? The dust inside that thing you're holding costs more than all of you, _combined_."

The Faunus snarled at his insult, reptilian eyes narrowing into further slits. Making sure to keep a firm grip on the crate, he stomped away into the dimmer parts of the warehouse. Roman nodded smugly. Despite his love for working solo, he had to admit that having someone do the heavy lifting for you was fantastic. He chuckled. No wonder Cinder got off of it all the time. Oh man, he could get used to this.

"Dust damn it…"

Ruby's groan brought Roman out of his musings. His eyes homing in to the source of the sound, the gentleman thief nearly howled with laughter when he took in the sight before him. Red was essentially, _eating dirt_. Her attempts at escape had obviously gone poorly, as proved by the way was currently kissing the ground. The terrifying Faunus had seriously done a number on her. Gone was the upbeat, joyful brat that he'd first met her during a dust heist. She had been replaced by this shaking, soon to be cadaver who couldn't move without wincing in pain.

He didn't exactly revel in her current state of pain, but, he could appreciate that she wasn't being a thorn in his side like she usually was. Roman smiled, releasing the smoke from his lungs.

"Put your _fucking_ hands up, bowl head." A voice growled from behind him. "And step away from my girlfriend. Or _else_."

His smile morphed into a grimace. It looks like he spoke too soon. But no matter…it wasn't like he was alone or outnumbered. He could hear the sounds of battle echoing around the warehouse, and the familiar sounds of shotgun chambers being fired at a furious pace.

"Temper, temper." He smiled, lifting his hands up. He stepped to the side in slow, deliberate movements. "There. Happy?" He mocked. Coco glowered in response, purposely adjusting her suitcase to face him. She strode forward, her gaze burning a hole into that ugly mug he called a face. The man could almost feel the fury radiating off of her, and when he heard the subtle jingle of…_something_ in her case, he decided that pushing anymore of her buttons would be a bad idea.

"I swear, if you so much as move your pinkie, I'll crush your balls with _these_." She lifted her heels for emphasis. Roman paled slightly at that but to his credit, he still managed to keep a straight face. He nodded, and discreetly took several steps back.

Seeing that he was suitably cowed, Coco abandoned all pretence of exacting her revenge on the bowler hat moron and rushed to Ruby's side, face contorting in worry. She pulled off one of her gloves, tucking it into her pocket, and gently pushing Ruby's fringe up. Seeing the ugly purple bruise blooming at the corner of her forehead, she held back a gasp when silver eyes lit up at the sight of her, her girlfriend's letting out a soft sigh at her touch. Ruby smiled weakly, her bleeding lips forming curving up to form a small smile. The older girl gently cupped her cheek with gloved hands, taking care not to touch the bruises littering her face.

"I'm sorry I'm late, babe." Coco murmured, knowing how much Ruby loved it when she used that word. Ruby gave her a cute little grin, and tried to lift her hand to grab hers. The arm fell limply to her side when she winced. The older girl felt her worry multiply tenfold, eyebrows creasing as she frowned. "Do you think you can stand?"

The crimson haired girl shook her head, looking slightly embarrassed. Without any further need for an explanation, Coco was about to hoist her up into a sitting position when she heard a low rumbling noise from behind her. The hair on the back on her neck erect, she leaped back with a startled curse; beret falling off her head as she narrowly avoided the chainsaw that plummeted to the ground where she had been crouching. The screech of metal blades were too much for Ruby to bear; and she fell of the crate in pain and shock.

"Took you long enough!" Roman called from the side-lines.

The white fang member ignored him, concentrating on the new meat in front of him instead. "If I'd known we would have so much visitors today…" The large Faunus growled, the sound badly distorted by his mask. "I would have cleaned this place up a little." He sneered. Lifting the growling chainsaw off the ground, he held it deftly in one hand; the veins in his arm clearly visible.

"I'll say." Coco snorted, more than a little pissed off. "But I doubt that a makeover could fix this dump. It's pretty shitty. Perfect for an asshole like you."

He chuckled deeply, hoisting the embodiment of death above his head.

And sprang forward.

He closed the distance between him and the suitcase wielding girl, striking down. To his surprise, the girl merely reacted by raising her suitcase. He grinned, already beginning to imagine how her skull would be split into half, the melodious tune of wet flesh synchronising with the _crack_ of broken bones. It was too bad she was wearing those shades. Seeing her eyes widen in fear would have been utterly orgasmic.

There was a loud clang of metal, and then he felt himself falling backwards.

"What the–"

"Hm?" Coco purred, "Is that it?" she smirked when the Faunus was sent stumbling back by the strength of her parry. Just because she looked the way she did, didn't mean that she was _weak_. The force behind her attacks could make even Yatsuhashi wince; and the boy was built like a mountain.

She chuckled and patted her trusty suitcase. Her beloved weapon cost every lien she'd forked out to make it. Her attacker managed to steady himself, looking at his weapon in bewilderment. How could a fucking _suitcase_, of all things, have possibly blocked that attack?! Even the girl with the hood had some trouble when they were fighting. The cocky female before him barely even looked threatened.

He didn't like it. Not. One. Bit.

"Why you little…" He growled, his hackles rising when she merely placed a hand on her hip; acting like she wasn't knee deep within enemy territory but instead, at a goddamn photoshoot.

"For such a big guy, you sure don't have strength in that body of yours." Coco inspected her nails in boredom. "Hell, even my girlfriend would be able to take you on."

To her surprise, he laughed. The sound was menacing, reminding her of nails on a chalkboard. Cocking her head to the side, she glared at him questioningly.

"Did I say something funny?" She spat.

"By 'girlfriend', you mean that quivering little girl in red? She, beat _me_?" His laugh descended into cackles, the man pointing in Ruby's direction with his chainsaw. "That's the best joke I've heard yet. Just look at her! She barely even survived our first fight."

"So. That was _you_?" Coco replied, her voice eerily calm. Not noticing the sudden tenseness in her posture, the Faunus let out a roar of laughter as he threw his head back.

"You should have se–"

She delivered a roundhouse kick straight to his temple. Jarred by the sudden attack, he gasped as the force of the kick twisted his neck sideways. She smirked when he let out a howl of pain and easily avoided his wild haymaker, the punch sailing past her. Moving behind him with a speed that he hadn't thought she was capable of, the Faunus felt his body plummet to the ground when she brought her suitcase down on his exposed shoulders.

The crackle of bones seemed distant as a pleasant numbness spread through his back, the world going still for a moment. The man choked when the pain settled in, shakes wracking his entire frame, his mind in disarray from the kick, and his back shattered by the brute force of her bludgeon. Coco looked down at him, eyes glinting vengefully. The top left corner of his Grimm mask had been broken off, leaving jagged sharp edges there. She used her free hand to lift her shades, staring down at his large, shaking body.

At that moment, Coco knew what fury was. Unbridled anger bubbled up from that seemingly endless well of hate inside her. The image of Ruby, wounded and paralysed, made her mind roar noiselessly, the sound of her rapidly beating heart cancelling the sounds of battle in her surroundings. The faint yelps of white fang goons being beaten into the ground, and the clatter of shotgun shells faded away. She looked down at her weapon, her fingers aching to switch it into its gun form. It would be so _easy_ to give in to her fury and riddle his body with holes…

"C-Coco…" Ruby coughed. "Could you h-help me up?"

Startled out of her daze, the second year quickly strode over to her, arms wrapping themselves around Ruby's slender waist. Gently, she hoisted the girl up, placing her in a sitting position when the girl groaned that her head still hurt like hell.

Ruby sighed. The pain in her temple had mostly subsided, but the lack of strength to push herself up from the ground was still a sign that she was in pretty bad shape. Leaning into Coco's warm embrace, Ruby nuzzled her head into the crook of her girlfriend's neck. She took in deep breaths, trying to orientate herself. The scent of familiar perfume and the soft material of the older girl's shirt lulled her into a state of relaxation. Ruby promised herself not to fall asleep, but the heaviness of her limbs seemed to feel otherwise. Fortunately, the soft patter of footsteps made both girls look up, though the younger girl did so albeit slowly.

Coco felt her ire diminish when she realised it was just Velvet. She gave her friend a small wave, the snarl melting into a welcoming grin. The rabbit Faunus smiled apologetically and taking care not to make any loud noises, crept forward to hand her leader the small, decorative box. She had found it among Torchwick's rubbish while Yang was calling for the authorities. It was obvious that the man had long since fled when all three of them were eviscerating the members white fang.

Coco cocked her head in bewilderment, looking at the object with increasing confusion. What was this thing…? She opened her mouth to pose the question to Velvet, when Ruby shifted in her arms, reaching out for the box.

"Hey you found it!" She said, her voice regaining some cheer. "I thought it was gone for sure."

"Oh." Velvet giggled. "It was in pretty bad shape when I'd first found it. But Yang did say that it was too classy to belong to someone like Torchwick. I guess she was right."

Ruby laughed softly, her fingers searching for the lock which held the box's lid in place. Brushing off the small patches of dirt on its sides, she grinned when the box opened with a soft rustling sound. The contents inside, or the lack thereof, made the grin evaporate instantly. Her expression melted into one of disappointment and she sighed, putting the object down and sinking back into Coco's arms.

"…They ate all the chocolates." She pouted.

Chuckling at Ruby's muttered curse, Coco pressed a small kiss to her forehead. "They were supposed to be for you." She mumbled, hiding her face in the crook of the older girl's neck. Upset, she let out a few disappointed sighs which made Velvet grimace. Maybe it would have been better if she hadn't found the box. Patting the girl on the back, she left the couple to themselves and headed toward an annoyed Yang, who was carelessly tying up the unconscious bodies of the fauni aggressors littered around the warehouse.

Coco chuckled, hugging her girlfriend a little tighter. She didn't really care that the chocolates were gone, because frankly, seeing Ruby safe and put of danger was a good enough gift for her. Shooting a glance at her wrist watch, the fashionista felt her brows knit together when she saw that it was already a little after eight. The food she'd made was most likely cold by now, and it would have been a lie if she said that she wasn't at least albeit upset.

"Happy Anniversary, Rubes." She said sweetly. When Ruby tilted her head up to look at her, she swooped in to claim her lips in a gentle kiss. After today's events, her girlfriend was more than happy to oblige, both girls just basking in each other's presence. Just when Ruby pulled back for some oxygen, something sharp dug into the flesh of her thigh; making the girl wince. Noticing this, Coco pulled back, sharp eyes searching for the source. Slipping her hand into her pocket, Ruby's eyes widened when her palm closed in on the familiar object. Perhaps it was just a stroke of luck, but nevertheless, she was just glad she had something left to give.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Urk–" Ruby jumped when at the soft touch. She shot Coco an embarrassed smile, feeling her nerves rising when her girlfriend returned the gesture, mocha brown eyes glittering in amusement. With a small eep, the crimson haired girl pressed the necklace into the other girl's open palm. Immediately turning away, she pulled her knees against her chest, hiding her worried expression in her knees.

The look on Coco's face was priceless. She looked down at the necklace, slightly stunned at its sudden appearance. As she continued examining it, the pleasant tingle in her chest grew stronger when she took in their combined emblems. Gaze darting between Ruby and her gift, she let out a breathless laugh and cupped the other girl's cheek, tipping her head up to meet her worried gaze. Coco captured her lips in a mind shattering kiss, their bodies thrumming with desire and utter happiness. When the older girl pulled back, she couldn't help but smirk at the dazed look in Ruby's eyes.

"Help me put it on?" She asked, holding out the necklace.

Ruby nodded wordlessly, though her body was practically vibrating with delight. Grasping the edges of the chain with shaky hands, she was treated to the glorious sight of Coco's bare neck, the girl turning to face the other way and taking off her designer scarf; beckoning her to move forward. Biting her lip, Ruby gently looped the necklace around her girlfriend's neck, mentally pumping her fist into the air. The relief was almost palpable as she fastened the chain, trying not to squeal at how perfect the necklace looked on Coco.

The relief transformed into something…_else_ however, when Coco spun around with a speed that was almost dizzying, and threw the scarf around her neck like a lasso. She let out a surprised gasp when the scarf was pulled forward, taking her with it. Their foreheads bumped gently, Coco staring at Ruby with a predatory gleam in her eyes. She felt her heart stop when the other girl leaned in, lips brushing against the shell of her ear. Ruby shivered, eliciting a playful purr from her girlfriend.

"I love it_." _Cocowhispered, excited brown eyes boring into silver ones.

"R-Really?" Ruby squeaked.

"Of course. Why would I lie?" She purred. Gloved hands ghosted over her bare neck, making her shudder. "Just wait till we get back to Beacon. And then, I'll show you how much I _really_ love it."

The world shuddered to a halt. As did Ruby's heart.

Needless to say, that night was one of the many precious memories that the couple treasured, even in their years to come. And every time Ruby passed by that particular clothing shop in Vale, she would tilt her head up to look at the woman beside her, the brightness of her smile only beaten by the blinding shine of the necklace.

* * *

_Fin_

* * *

A/N: And so, the story comes to a close. I hope you guys enjoyed it :3 Big hugs to everyone who favourited, followed, and took the time to review this story! And also, special thanks to _**The Grinning Psychopath**_and _**Drednaught**_ for letting me bounce my ideas off'em and giving me some great ideas for this chapter as well! And if anyone has any requests for me, do drop it in the review or a pm! I appreciate them greatly :) And remember, RWBY is love, RWBY is life!


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